November 29, 2020: Battling Bloat
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Holiday meals can leave you feeling uncomfortable, and not because of the table talk (awkward, right?). If you’re not careful of what and even how you eat, you’ll be battling the post-dinner bloat. Bloating is the tight, swollen feeling in your abdomen when your gastrointestinal tract has retained fluid or gas. This week, we’re going to talk about how to avoid the bloat and what to do if it still happens.
How you eat
The most common causes for the bloated feeling are overeating, eating fatty and rich foods, and eating too fast. To keep bloating at bay, eat smaller portions to ease the pain, limit the fat in your diet, because it takes longer to digest and keeps the stomach full longer, and eat slower to avoid overeating.
Gas
Gas is the second most common cause of bloating. While half of what’s in your digestive system is bacteria to help with digestion, the other half is swallowed air. If the gas builds up in the intestines, it will cause discomfort.
If you often feel gassy and bloating caused by gas, you can avoid these habits that cause you to swallow more air.
Drinking with a straw
Chewing Gum
Drinking carbonated beverages
Sucking on candy
Unfortunately, certain foods can also cause gassiness and bloating because they’re difficult to digest. These are the main offenders.
Beans and lentils contain oligosaccharides, which are indigestible sugars and have to be broken down by bacteria, a slow process.
Fruits and vegetables that contain starch and sugar that cause gas and bloating, like Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, prunes, and apricots.
Artificial sweeteners, like sorbitol, are unable to be digested, and fructose, a natural sugar, is difficult to digest.
Dairy products can cause intestinal distress and bloating.
Whole grains are recommended for a well-balanced diet, but can cause gas and bloating because of their high fiber content. Make sure to drink a lot of water to help move fiber through your digestive system.
If it persists
If you’ve cut back on hard-to-digest foods and you’re still experiencing bloating, you can take over-the-counter medications to help break down indigestible sugars in beans and vegetables. However, if you’re constantly troubled by bloating, even after making these changes, it might be a good idea to speak with your doctor about it. Though rare, bloating can be caused by something more severe that needs to be addressed, like an obstruction in your stomach or impaired muscle functions in the digestive tract that don’t allow food to move along properly.
Take proper precautions if you want to avoid bloating and gas and you can walk away from the dinner table without the uncomfortable stuffed or gassy feeling that can ruin the rest of your night.
Next Sunday, we’ll talk about how to jazz up your snacks with a few nutritious ideas to keep you energized through the day.
Want some expert help with reaching your health goals painlessly? Check out my programs! We’ll get everything taken care of in a way that fits into your current lifestyle so you never have to think about your health again.
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I hope you have a wonderful week,
Kelly
Kelly Morgan, Ph.D.
Tsirona - www.tsirona.com
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